Dealer Ops

Auto/Mate Releases Guide for Selecting CRM Systems

April 23, 2013
• by Staff

ALBANY, N.Y. — More than 100 dealers polled by Auto/Mate indicated that integration between a Contact Relationship Management
solution and the dealership management system is the most important
feature when considering a new CRM. The findings are included in a new
e-Book the software company released, “The Auto Dealer’s 10-Step Guide
to Selecting the Right CRM for Your Dealership.”

“I am surprised
how often we get asked about CRMs since we are a DMS vendor,” said Mike
Esposito, president and CEO of Auto/Mate. “This eBook does not recommend
any particular features or cover what the latest CRM trends are, but
instead gives dealers the tools they need to select the right CRM for
them.”

Several industry consultants were interviewed and
contributed to the e-Book, including Paul MacDonald of TriMac Automotive
Advisory Group, Joe Webb of DealerKnows, Jim Skeans of Jim Skeans
Consulting Group and Ray Fenster of RayFenster.com.

All of the
consultants agree that many dealers are spending unnecessary money on
CRM features they don’t need or use — not because advanced CRM features
aren’t useful but because the dealership has not attained the level of
usage or buy-in required by users, the company said. The e-Book provides
dealers with concrete steps on how to assess their current usage, set
measurable objectives for both ROI and employee participation, form a
selection team and more.